Northampton Saints
News: Woeful performance costs Saints dearly
By Jonathan Stockham
February 10 2013
Saints performances at home are giving cause for concern to all suppotrers and the club. It is depressing to have to write a match report after a performance like Saturday's against Gloucester. Stockers took the mucky end of the stick again and tells us about his view of the match.
Aviva Premiership – Round 14
Saturday 9 February 2013, Franklins Gardens
Northampton Saints 11, Gloucester 27
Attendance: Mostly frustrated
By Jonathan Stockham
IT CAN’T GO ON LIKE THIS!
Will somebody please do something!
Yesterday, at the inappropriately named “Fortress Franklins” Northampton Saints delivered a performance as damp, cold and lacking in colour as the wintry weather. I can take defeat, goodness knows I’ve been a Saints supporter long enough but the manner of Saints capitulation to a pretty ordinary Gloucester team was hugely disappointing. No amount of Season Ticket Holders forums, ticket price freezes or free coffees can paper over the very obvious cracks appearing within the playing squad.
I got to the ground early on Saturday for a late breakfast (and I have to say that the bacon roll I bought from Fine Foods was of the highest quality and for a reasonable price).
Players arriving looked serious, faces set in stern contemplation of the task ahead, not much smiling or looking up from the ground. Ryan Lamb was first out on the pitch for some place kicking practice followed by others to try out touch finders and up and unders. It’s great to see the distance some kickers reach with the boot but there didn’t seem to be much, if any, practice in chasing or passing or grubber kicks. Lots of bending and stretching and prancing about whilst shouting stuff, which would presumably be handy once the game started.
For the first 5 minutes or so, Saints didn’t look too bad, the ref’s decisions going the way of the home team and 3 points on the board after Gloucester infringed in the front row of a scrum.
The visitors were soon ahead however from a couple of penalties well kicked (if in rather unorthodox style) by ex-Pirate Rob Cook. Saints had the chance to level the scores after a piece of individual brilliance by Ben Nutley, the Saints open side and best player by far, who took an up and under to set up an attack nearly finished by Jamie Elliott in the left corner. Gloucester infringed but Stephen Myler hooked the ball left of the post.
The visitors soon opened a bigger lead when, from a Gloucester line out, the ball was taken up the midfield, a dummy runner and neat footwork by Johnny May confusing a ragged Saints defensive line and in for a try in the right corner. The conversion was missed. 3-11 after 20 minutes.
Saints then had their first chance of a try as Nutley and then Mikey Haywood thundered up field after good work by James Wilson and Elliott. The Saints hooker was brought down agonisingly close to the posts. Sadly. Lee Dickson knocked on at the ensuing ruck and then Saints were pinged at the scrum 5 for not driving straight.
By now, it was evident that Gloucester were the better team defensively, with much quicker line speed and being quicker to the breakdown, with Qera and Kalamafoni really making their presence felt. That and poor basic passing skills and a rubbish kick and chase game by Saints were not helping.
In the match programme, Jim Mallinder explained, in response to recent criticism, that it was sometimes best to kick the ball to get out of one’s own half. Indeed Jim but with that comes the need either to find touch or to chase aggressively to put pressure on the catchers. Seeing our chasers jogging up field making sure they were in a nice straight line rather than trying to muller the opposition is frankly baffling.
As half time approached, 2 more kickable penalties to the visitors extended their lead to 6-17. By now, most of the ground had been treated to the site of Rob Cook’s posterior being poked at them in his strange approach to the tee. It kind of summed up the day really……
Gloucester very nearly went further ahead, as a poor up and under was caught and carried 70 metres up field through some poor tackling and brought up short of the Saints line. After three phases, a penalty to the visitors and the now customary yellow card to GJ Van Velze.
But at last, and for a few moments, Saints performed like a team and the fans did their bit to urge their heroes on. Gloucester opted for the scrum and fancied either a push over or penalty try against a 7 man pack. A couple of resets and another penalty award against Saints looked to bring another try perilously close. The stands realised their part in the drama and COYS got louder and louder.
And then, Gloucester crumbled and a penalty award to Saints in injury time saw the ball safely hoofed into the stands! A special moment in an otherwise poor performance, characterised by slow, ponderous and inaccurate passing, a lack of dynamism and an inability to anticipate.
The second half got worse, very early. Saints caught the restart, attacking the Lake End, passed a bit, went through the phases and then fluffed a pass out to the right wing where Johnny May scooped the ball up and galloped from his own half to score under the posts. No problems with this conversion and 6-24 before half the crowd were back from the loos/bars/phoning the Samaritans.
Saints then had a chance to narrow the gap, with a catch and drive from a penalty line out after May had decided he needed a rest after all that running and picked up a yellow card for coming in the side of a ruck. A well-built maul headed over the Gloucester line, the TMO was consulted but it didn’t need long to spot the ball had been dropped! Saints then gave away a penalty at the resulting scrum 5: end of pressure, nil points.
Getting back down to the red zone after a Gloucester infringement, the old catch and drive from the line out routine saw Saints nearly over again and, although there was much dithering at the ruck, eventually the ball was shipped to Phil Dowson running a good line to go over for Saints only try of the day. Another miss by Myler from a straight forward kick failed to add the vital points. 11-24 with 15 minutes of the half played but it should have been so much more given earlier clear chances.
Now, unfortunately, the Ref’s Assistant, the world famous Robin “I See No Ships” Goodliffe had seen Samu Manoa popping a short right jab at a gobby opposition player. Fortunately he saw the second punch after Dowse scored and not the earlier one beforehand. So the try stood but the game restarted from halfway with a penalty against a 14 man Saints team, Manoa having a wee rest on the naughty step. A longer holiday probably awaits.
Saints got worse from here on. Poor passing, risky kicks, not marking the Gloucester tail at the line out, no pressure on the catcher after a Garryowen. The half backs had an awful day and looked as they’d never met each other or been at the same training session in the week. Myler was so deep at times he cramped our full back for space and by the time Dicko’s loopy pass reached him, so did a member of the visitors back row. Only Martin Roberts with a much quicker pass looked the part.
Ryan Lamb was sent on to replace Myler with 16 minutes left and obviously told to try something different to get some points. Points could and should have come after a penalty kick to Saints gave them a line out on the 5 metre line. The catch and drive was good and the Saints pack cantered towards the try line, only to stop inches short. The ball was whipped out to Mark Sorensen who was isolated a metre short, penalty to Gloucester for not releasing. End of pressure, nil points.
The lead widened after another 3 points kicked by Cook and the crowd started to walk out with 7 minutes left! The chap behind me said “They must be going to watch the Cobblers” to which I replied “I think we’ve been watching that all afternoon!”
A couple more Saints attacks were unproductive, the final insult coming after a knock on with no pressure and the Gloucester fans singing their own version of “Oh Wendy”
I waited until the morning after to write this report, to try to have a clearer less emotional view of things. However, the stark reality is that there is clearly something badly wrong within the club and/or the squad.
Jim, for pity’s sake get angry, get emotional, get like Cockerill up the road at the league leaders. And let us share the pain, make us believe again, involve us.
Innovate, try something different, sort out contract renewals that are still up in the air, one way or the other, create certainty. Get someone in to motivate the squad from the top down to the physios, fitness trainers and even whoever does the laundry. Create a collective sense of purpose.
Leadership is about trust. It’s not about managing, it’s about empowering and giving people ownership and accountability.
Make players want to be in our shirt, to want to play here, to connect with the supporters. To play with a smile.
Make Saintsmen again!
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Leadership is about trust. It’s not about managing
That would appear to be a lesson that needs to be learned by the board, the Executives and the coaches.
David L
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
- Live wrong and preposterously
And it was good to chat before the game Jonathan
PAYER Player Fraudian slip of course but as it stands this ST 'payer' is off
Members and supporters stay 'customers' walk QED.
Top of the League 2014-2015 Season
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:11:11:20:06 by Bob Stainsby.
I know its the same for both sides but the annual timing of new contracts does result in teams having to play players who have mentally ''moved on''. This doesn't help.
Rugby at this level is largely about mistakes getting punished. You only have to make two or three errors more than the other side and you will soon be ten points down.
But you have to laugh. I read the programme (well there wasn't much else to watch). I am watching my team getting stuffed at home and sliding down the table having been knocked out of all other competitions - and the CEO is writing to tell us that some people have been fiddling in the bar. Obviously it is very wrong and it matters but somehow it rather summed up the club's priorites.
I came away from that game feeling even more depressed than ever i was by the relegation.
Please somebody step and put it right
Rugby does not work very well when you go through the motions does it. If there is no passion what is there.
We were so bad our four Glaws cousins felt so sorry for us that they refrained from gloating. That is a bad sign.
We will be going to Wuss so once more we will look for changes in our fortune. Or at least we can watch our new flyhalf. I am of course joking.
Fine words and a difficult job done very eloquently.
Thank you, good sir.
Can someone advise me re the Manoa card, and possible ban. What about the first punch from Dawiduik that kicked it off? Should he be cited too or is the retaliation only that gets the ban?
If that is the case better to get your shots in first!!
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